Raise a Glass

A toast to the chef, the gardener, and the vacuum cleaner repairman. My partner for life and I divide duties, but this post is not about my share. It is because of him that our refrigerator is stocked and dinner menu varied. He turns the stereo on and meal prep is a live concert where the crowd goes wild. The garden boasts of the compost he feeds through the winter and neat rows of seedlings are marked by clamshells, artifacts of our youthful island days. He labels by hand--Thai basil, scallions, and thyme--each letter taking me to first dates and mixed tapes on which he wrote every song on the setlist. My patience runs short with the vacuum when it chokes on a furball and comes to a hissing halt. His quick assessment results in a mail-ordered belt and a garage shop repair for a total of $1.99. He knows that Ritter Sport is my favorite and that I like grocery store flowers in a shallow vase. Cheers to the one who makes overcast days like this one bright.